What a showing request form should ask, and what to leave off
A showing request form needs a name, an email, an optional phone, the times that suit the visitor and a space for a message. Anything more lowers the number of people who send it, and questions about who someone is or how they live do not belong on it. Reply the same day, offer two times, and keep the details private. The application comes later.
The fields
| Field | Required? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | So you can greet and reply to the person. |
| Yes | The safest place to send times and a confirmation. | |
| Phone | Optional | Some prefer a text. Never make it required. |
| Good times | Optional | Lets you offer a slot that fits both of you. |
| Message | Optional | Space for a question. |
Each extra field costs completions. A form that asks only what you need to reply gets more requests, and you can ask the rest in your reply.
What to leave off
- Income, employment and credit questions. They belong to the application, applied to everyone in the same way.
- Anything about family, religion, nationality, health or disability. The Fair Housing Act bars treating people differently because of a protected class (see HUD's overview).
- Date of birth, social security number or ID. Never collect these on a showing form.
- A required account or sign-in.
The first reply can still prequalify the person on facts, as in prequalifying leads.
Reply fast and make it easy to say yes
- Reply within hours, not days. Someone who is looking today is also writing to other owners.
- Offer two specific times, and say how long it takes.
- Confirm the address and what to bring (nothing for a first visit).
- Send a reminder the day before. See cutting no-shows.
Example a made-up owner gets a request at 7 pm: a name, an email and "Saturday morning." By 8 pm the owner has replied with two times and the address. The visitor takes Saturday at 10. That is the whole exchange.
Design the form for a phone
Most renters will fill it in on a phone, often standing outside the building. Use large fields, the right keyboard for email and phone, labels above the fields and a button that is easy to tap. Confirm on the page right after sending, and by email, so the person knows it went through. If the form fails, say what to fix in plain words and keep what they typed.
Keep a short note of the requests you receive: the date, the time you replied and whether the visitor came. After a month you will see how quickly you answer and how many requests turn into visits, and that tells you whether the form, the listing or your reply time needs the next fix. Test it yourself on a phone with poor signal. A form that works on your laptop and fails on a phone loses the exact people you want to reach.
Keep the details private
A showing request holds a name and contact details. Use them only to arrange that showing and to answer that person. Do not add them to a marketing list without asking. Delete requests you no longer need. A form should also resist spam, for example with a hidden field that bots fill and people do not, and limit how many requests one address can send.
How DoorKeeping handles it
DoorKeeping's listing page has a Schedule a showing form with a name, email, optional phone, good times and a message. It posts without JavaScript and has a hidden spam field. It limits requests per address and per listing per day. Each request is saved on your Listings screen and emailed to the owners, and the visitor's details never go to the AI. The Equal Housing Opportunity statement is on the page. See the connect page.
Sources
- HUD: Fair Housing Act overview, read Oct 30, 2026
- Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3604 (Cornell Legal Information Institute), read Oct 30, 2026
- DoorKeeping: Connect Claude or ChatGPT (steps and tools list), read Oct 30, 2026
Questions
- What fields should a showing request form have?
- Name, email, an optional phone, good times and a message. Fewer fields get more requests.
- Should the form ask about income?
- No. Income questions belong to the application and must be applied to everyone.
- How fast should I reply to a showing request?
- Within hours if you can. Offer two specific times.
- Can I use the details for marketing?
- Use them to arrange that showing and answer that person. Ask before adding anyone to a list.